Fabric tube slitter and opener

ABSTRACT

This invention is directed to a slitter and opener for fabric tubes in which the tube to be slit is drawn over a horizontal spreader past a power-driven slitter knife, thence vertically upwardly into engagement with opener devices and thence horizontally laterally as a flat open web to engagement over a driven discharge roll. The slitter knife is readily laterally adjustable and carries one arm of the entrance spreader so that the span of the spreader automatically conforms to the lateral setting of the slitter knife.

United States Patent Inventor Frank Catallo Elmont, N.Y.

Appl. No. 758,918

Filed Sept. 10, 1968 Patented June 1, 1971 Assignee Fab-Con Machinery Development Corporation Paterson, NJ.

FABRIC TUBE SLITTER AND OPENER 7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 83/175, 83/184, 83/187, 83/425 Int. Cl B26d 7/14 Field of Search.. 83/175 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,196,723 7/1965 Cohn et al. 83/175X 3,253,311 5/1966 Cohn et al. 83/175X Primary ExaminerAndrew R. .luhasz Assistant Examiner-Leon Gilden AtrorneyF J. Pisarra ABSTRACT: This invention is directed to a slitter and opener for fabric tubes in which the tube to be slit is drawn over a horizontal spreader past a power-driven slitter knife, thence vertically upwardly into engagement with opener devices and thence horizontally laterally as a flat open web to engagement over a driven discharge roll. The slitter knife is readily laterally adjustable and carries one arm of the entrance spreader so that the span of the spreader automatically conforms to the lateral setting of the slitter knife.

PATENTEDJUN usm 581,614

sum 1 or 2 I N VENT OR.

2 FRANK CATALLO a ATTORNEY FABRIC TUBE SLIITTER AND OPENER THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to new and useful improvements in tube-slitting machines and particularly seeks to provide a novel slitter and opener for knitted fabric tubes.

ln the past, it has been customary to manufacture many types of garments from circular knit fabric tubes in which the tube diameters nominally conform to body sizes. More recently ladies dress manufacturers, sportswear manufacturers and industrial users of knitted fabrics have required the fabric to be delivered in open width form similar to that of single-layer woven fabrics. This, of course, necessitates the longitudinal slitting of the fabric tubes.

Many efforts have been made to develop a so-called universal type of slitter, i.e. one that can be readily adjusted to longitudinally slit flattened fabric tubes of various widths. Although most of the slitters produced as the result of such efforts will work, they are all relatively complicated and require major adjustments when changing from one fabric tube size to another.

However, a fabric tube slitter and opener constructed in accordance with this invention overcomes the problems created by the use of prior slitters.

Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide a slitter and opener that edge slits a fabric tube and is readily adjustable from one fabric tube size to another.

Another object of this invention is to provide a slitter and opener of the character stated in which a motor-driven rotary cutter is laterally adjustable simply by turning a handwheel when changing from one fabric tube size to another.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which a forwardly extending, generally U-shaped, resilient, tube spreader has one leg affixed to a stationary frame member and its other leg affixed to a laterally adjustable member that carries the rotary cutter whereby to automatically change the effective width of the tube spreader whenever a change is made to the lateral position of the cutter.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which the rotary cutter may be positioned for either horizontal or vertical operation without affecting its lateral adjustability.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which the fabric tube is first drawn horizontally past the cutter by a pair of draw rolls, then vertically into engagement with the opener.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which the opener includes a pair of spaced parallel, freely rotatable rolls between and over which the edge slit fabric tube passes, a guide wheel over which the folded edge of the edge slit fabric tube passes, and a single draw roll for laterally removing the opened tube.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character stated that includes a displaceable generally J- shaped accumulator for receiving the opened fabric.

With these and other objects, the nature of which will be ap' parent, the invention will be more fully understood by reference to the drawings, the accompanying detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a fabric tube slitter and opener constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation thereof;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation thereof;

FIG. Al is a left end elevation thereof;

FIG. 5 is an elarged, fragmentary transverse section taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3 and shows how the knife support is roller mounted on a transverse frame member; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, elevation of a detail showing the connection of the position-adjusting sprocket chain to the knife support.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be seen, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, that a fabric tube generally indicated A is introduced into the machine over a horizontal spreader generally indicated B and is drawn horizontally past a power-driven edge-slitting knife generally indicated C by a pair of draw rolls generally indicated D. From the draw rolls D, the edge-slit fabric tube A is directed vertically upwardly between a pair of spaced parallel folder rolls generally indicated E with the folded tube edge passing over a fabric wheel generally indicated F operably carried by the outer end ofa spreader or opener frame generally indicated G from which the opened flat fabric web passes, at a right angle to its entrance path, under an idler roll generally indicated 1 and over a driven discharge roll J.

More specifically, the machine includes a left frame assembly 5 and a right frame assembly 6 (as viewed from the front of the machine). An elliptical cross-sectional guide and support bar 7 is rigidly affixed at one end of the frame 5. The spreader B includes one arm 8 attached to the front end of a rod 9 having its rear end rigidly affixed to the free end of the support bar 7. The spreader B also includes a second arm 10 attached to the front end of a rod 11 having its rear rigidly affixed to the casing of the slitter knife C as will be hereinafter more fully explained. The rods 9 and 11 are maintained in alignment by a pair of spaced parallel telescopic spacers 12, 12.

The slitter knife C is mounted on a carriage formed by two rectangular plates 13, 13 (see FIGS. 3 and 5) maintained in spaced relation by two sets of upper and lower rollers 14. The carriage is mounted for lateral movement on a transverse girder l5 affixed between the frames 5 and 6.

Lateral adjustment of the position of the carriage and of its associated slitting knife C may be made at any time through the use of a handwheel 16 and shaft 17, the rear end of which carries a sprocket I8. A corresponding sprocket 19 is jour naled on a suitable bracket adjacent the frame 6 and a sprocket chain 20 is passed around both of the sprockets l8 and 19 and has its ends connected to the slitter knife carriage as by links 21 (see FIG. 6).

Lateral adjustment of the position of the slitter knife C in this manner will automatically effect a corresponding adjustment to the span of the spreader B since the arm 10 thereof is attached to the rod 11 carried by the slitter knife.

The top of the slitter knife carriage may be provided with an angle bracket 22 having a laterally projecting arm 23 adapted to slide under the guide bar 7 to support some of the weight thereof.

A plush-convered idler roll 24 is positioned beneath the inner end of the spreader B and serves the dual purposes of holding the fabric in position on the spreader without twisting and of preventing the spreader and its supporting rods 9 and ill from sagging.

The spaced parallel folder rolls E are freely journaled between the frames 5 and 6 and are positioned to symmetrically space a vertical plane tangent to the rear faces of the draw rolls D. The V-shaped spreader or opener frame G lies in a plane parallel to but above that containing the rollers E and is cantilevered out from the left frame 5 toward the right frame 6. The fabric wheel F is suitably journaled in a bracket 25 depending from the vee of the frame G.

After the edge-slit fabric tube leaves the draw rolls D it is directed upwardly between the folder rolls E with the folded edge of the tube being brought up over the fabric wheel F so that as the fabric of the tube is drawn at a right angle to the left (i.e. from frame 6 toward frame 5) the frame G and the rolls E combine to cause the fabric tube to become fully opened into a flat triangularly shaped web overlying the frame G and a continuous flat web as it is brought under the idler roll I and over the driven discharge roll J. The fabric configuration on the underside of the frame G is essentially that of two symmetrically opposed right triangles with the right angles abutting at the free edges ofthe fabric.

The opened fabric web from the discharge roll J is directed downwardly the lower portion ofa rectangular metal apron 26 pivotally connected along its top as at 27 to the outside of the left frame 5. A wheeled accumulator cart generally indicated 28, having an outer end 29 sufficiently low to pass beneath the lower edge of the apron 26 and an inner end 30 sufficiently high to engage the lower portion of the apron, is adapted to be moved from a storage position within the machine (with the apron 26 hanging vertically) to a position without the machine (see FIG. 2) so that its higher end 30 displaces the apron 26 an angular distance sufficient to direct the discharged fabric web into the cart as an incident to further processing.

It will be appreciated that the drive for the slitter knife C is an individual electric motor and that the drives for the draw rolls D and the discharge roll J are conventional and need not be illustrated or described in detail. However, it should be mentioned that it may be desireable to employ a pneumatic clutch for the discharge roll 1 in order to permit it to drag or slow down in the event that any undesirable increase in tension should occur in the opened fabric web, thus automatically relieving any such tension increase.

Although in the illustrated embodiment of this invention the slitter knife has been shown as positioned for edge slitting (ie with the knife disc horizontal and rotating about its vertical axis), it will be appreciated from the foregoing statement of objects that the principles of the invention are equally applicable to the removal of one edge portion of both plies of a fabric tube, in which case the slitter knife would have to be mounted in a vertical position (i.e. rotating about a horizontal axis). A simple adapter (not shown) may be provided so that the machine of this invention may be used for both edge slitting and edge cutting of a fabric tube without affecting the ready and simple lateral adjustability of the slitter knife C and of the corresponding automatic adjustment of the spreader B.

It is of course to be understood that variations in arrangements and proportions of parts may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

lclaim:

l. A machine for slitting and opening a fabric tube into a flat web including means for spreading a fabric tube into a flattened condition means for slitting or removing one edge portion of said flattened tube, means for laterally adjusting said slitting means at any time, said tube-spreading means comprising a generally V-shaped forwardly extending loop formed ofa resilient material and having one arm affixed to a stationary frame member and its other arm affixed to said laterally adjustable slitting means whereby to automatically change the span of said tube-spreading means to correspond to the changed lateral position of said slitting means, a pair of draw rolls disposed normal to the incoming path of travel of said fabric tube for pulling said fabric tube horizontally over said spreading means and past said slitting means, a generally horizontal opening and spreading unit located above said draw rolls, and a driven discharge roll positioned laterally of said opening and spreading unit for drawing said slit tube over said opening and spreading unit and for discharging the resultant opened flat fabric web from said machine.

2. The machine of claim 2 in which said opening and spreading unit is symmetrically disposed about a vertical plane substantially tangent to the rear faces of said draw rolls.

3. The machine of claim 1 in which said slitting and said lateral adjusting means include a transverse fixed girder positioned ahead of said draw rolls in parallelism therewith, a reciprocable carriage mounted on said girder, and a powerdriven slitter knife mounted on said carriage.

4. The machine of claim 3 additionally including a handwheel, sprockets and sprocket chain connections for effecting movement of said carriage along said girder in either direction whereby to adjust the position of said slitting knife and the space of said tube spreading means.

5. The machine of claim 4 additionally including a transversely extending fabric control idler roll positioned beneath said tube-s reading means.

6. The machine of claim 2 in which said opening and spreading unit includes a pair of spaced parallel horizontal folder rollers, a V-shaped horizontal opening frame cantilevered thereabove, and a freely rotatable fabric wheel located at the vee of said opening frame, said fabric wheel being rotatable about a horizontal axis normal to the axes of said folder rollers and being receivable into the fold of the slit fabric tube as said tube is being drawn over said opening and spreading unit.

7. The machine of claim 5 additionally including a laterally displaceablc accumulator for receiving the open fabric web from said discharge roll.

Patent No.

Inventor(s) Column 1,

Column 2,

Column 3,

Column 4,

r Signed FORM PO-105O [10-69) EDWARD M FLETCHER .TR Attesting Officer UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION 3,58l.6l4 Dated June 1L 1973.

F, Catallo line 70, cancel "elarged" and substitute enlarged It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

line 19, cancel "of" and substitute to line 50, cancel "convered" and substitute covered line 57, cancel "space" and substitute span line 2, after "downwardly" insert along line 17, cancel "desireable" and substitute desirable line 40, i.e. claim 1, line 3, after "condition" insert a comma line 15, i.e. claim 2, line 1, cancel "2" and substitute l line 27, i.e. claim 4, last line, cancel "space" and substitute span and sealed this 21 st day of March 1972.

pnnwnm nnmgqglm fln Commissionerof Patents USCOMM-DC 6O376-F'60 us. GOVERNMENT PRINYING OFFICE \sn o-us-sn 

1. A machine for slitting and opening a fabric tube into a flat web including means for spreading a fabric tube into a flattened condition means for slitting or removing one edge portion of said flattened tube, means for laterally adjusting said slitting means at any time, said tube-spreading means comprising a generally Vshaped forwardly extending loop formed of a resilient material and having one arm affixed to a stationary frame member and its other arm affixEd to said laterally adjustable slitting means whereby to automatically change the span of said tube-spreading means to correspond to the changed lateral position of said slitting means, a pair of draw rolls disposed normal to the incoming path of travel of said fabric tube for pulling said fabric tube horizontally over said spreading means and past said slitting means, a generally horizontal opening and spreading unit located above said draw rolls, and a driven discharge roll positioned laterally of said opening and spreading unit for drawing said slit tube over said opening and spreading unit and for discharging the resultant opened flat fabric web from said machine.
 2. The machine of claim 2 in which said opening and spreading unit is symmetrically disposed about a vertical plane substantially tangent to the rear faces of said draw rolls.
 3. The machine of claim 1 in which said slitting and said lateral adjusting means include a transverse fixed girder positioned ahead of said draw rolls in parallelism therewith, a reciprocable carriage mounted on said girder, and a power-driven slitter knife mounted on said carriage.
 4. The machine of claim 3 additionally including a handwheel, sprockets and sprocket chain connections for effecting movement of said carriage along said girder in either direction whereby to adjust the position of said slitting knife and the space of said tube spreading means.
 5. The machine of claim 4 additionally including a transversely extending fabric control idler roll positioned beneath said tube-spreading means.
 6. The machine of claim 2 in which said opening and spreading unit includes a pair of spaced parallel horizontal folder rollers, a V-shaped horizontal opening frame cantilevered thereabove, and a freely rotatable fabric wheel located at the vee of said opening frame, said fabric wheel being rotatable about a horizontal axis normal to the axes of said folder rollers and being receivable into the fold of the slit fabric tube as said tube is being drawn over said opening and spreading unit.
 7. The machine of claim 5 additionally including a laterally displaceable accumulator for receiving the open fabric web from said discharge roll. 